Five Rules You Should Follow For The Perfect Summer Dinner Party
Gone are the days when dinner parties meant getting yourself in a flap over an uncooperative souffle. You can showcase your cookery skills and have a wonderful evening with your guests without setting off the fire alarm with these five handy tips on throwing the ultimate dinner party:
First, preparation is key
Prepare as much as possible in advance to reduce time pressure. A charcuterie board is the perfect pre-prep example – with a little zhushing, courtesy of a drizzle of honey over some goat’s cheese or a sprinkling of za’atar on a bowl of hummus, you can make shop-bought items look homemade. Crackers and crostini, fresh fruit and deli meats can all be set up in advance of your guests’ arrival on a beautiful platter. The other option is to prepare a couple of cold items, like a pasta salad or bruschetta, and supplement them with one hot item you can rustle up quickly at the time, like buttery garlic prawns. Bowls of spiced nuts also work a treat to stave off tummy rumbles before the main course.
Pick a main you’re confident with
This is not the moment to trial something that requires brining, flambeing and fermenting. Cook something you’re confident with and make it in abundance. Meals you can prepare on a single tray in the oven are superb, like traditional roasts, as are Thai and Asian curries, casseroles and stews that benefit from being made the day before so the flavours can intensify overnight in the fridge. Also choose side dishes where it won’t be the end of the world if they sit out for a bit at room temperature while you’re getting other things ready. If you’re making a roast that’s been tented in foil and resting, simply slice it thinly and pour over piping hot gravy to revive it. If you need inspo, we've got a whole load of easy dinner party recipes to choose from.
Go for family style
Plating up individual dishes will definitely give your dinner party a luxe restaurant feel but without Gordon Ramsay there to shout at you about the celeriac mash getting cold you might come a cropper under the pressure. Family style meals where you place everything on the table in the centre for sharing are easier and encourage interaction at the table too. Plus, everyone can take a little of what they like and plate up their own seconds.
If you prefer a fancier set up, try to prepare your starter or dessert in advance so you can focus all your energies on your main dish. If it’s going to include an impressive emulsion, an element of sous vide or a foam sauce it’s better to hone your focus on one thing instead of splitting it over a trio of courses. Easy dinner party starters can be hard to nail, but luckily for you we've got LOADS of ideas for the ideal way to kick off proceedings, as well as more party-style food if your dinner party is a casual affair.
Delegate
Yes, you’ve arranged the party but that doesn’t mean you have to sweat in the kitchen alone. Grab one of your guests to help with serving the drinks and another to assist you in the kitchen – they’ll appreciate feeling useful and you’ll have more fun too.
Prepare a 'make ahead dessert'
A make ahead dessert means one less course to worry about. It also provides the perfect opportunity to showcase your skills and prepare a complicated dish with homemade pastry, layers of caramel or a fancy mirror glaze. Cheesecakes, rich chocolate mousses, syllabubs and possets are all brilliant choices too (especially the ones that set in the very ramekins or glasses you plan on serving them in). Serving ice cream cornets from the freezer or simple wedges of watermelon and tropical fruit in the summer is just as yummy as a complicated Entremet.
